Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
aclcground of the lnvention
In preparing a patient for surgery, it is common to apply an
iodine base solution to the area where the incision will be made to provide
for sterilizing the area. A similar solution is also used after the surgery
is completed for cleaning and sterilizing the skin tissue around the area
which has been stitched together, Sometimes, the sterilizing solution is
20 poured into a cup, and a sponge-like swab or applicator, attached to one
end of a rigid handle, is used for applying the solution. For example,
one such type of applicator is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3, 508, 547.
It has also been found desirable to combine the sponge-like applicator
with a container for storing the solution to eliminate the separate handling
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of the solution and to provide for a more convenient application of the
solution. IJ. S. Patent No. 3, 774, 609 discloses such an applicator
which provides for applying the solution into the applicating sponge or
swab by puncturing holes within the container with prongs projecting
5 from a U-shaped clip extending around the swab.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improved device for
dispensing a solution or fluid into a swab or applicator and which eliminates
the need for touching or gripping the applicator when ;t is desired to
10 dispense a fluid into the applicator. The device of the invention is also
economical in construction and is adapted to be produced by substantially
automatic machinery. Another feature of the device of the invention is
that it provides for controlled dispensing of the fluid into the applicator
during use of the device so that the person applying the solution has
15 control over the rate of application. For purpose of the present invention,
the term fluid is intended to include any material which flows, including
liquids and granular and powder materials.
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention,
an elongated extruded tube of plastics film material is heat sealed at
20 longitudinally spaced intervals to define a container portion, and a
predetermined volume of fluid is enclosed within the container along
with an elongated handle member formed of a relatively rigid plastics
material. The handle member has a pointed end portion, and the bag
is folded back upon itself adjacent the pointed end portion of the handle
25 member to form a tab portion. The folded end portion of the bag is
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coated with adhesive and is inserted into a slot formed within a swab
or applicator consisting of a foam-like resilient material When the
projecting tab portion is pulled, the applicator sponge distorts, and
the handle member punctures the bag within the applicator. When the
tab portion is released, the punctured opening or openings within the
bag provide for a flow of the fluid from the bag into the center portion
of the applicator in response to the gripping pressure applied to the
bag.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent
10 from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended
claims .
Brief Description of the Drawin~
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing and applicating
device constructed in accordance with the invention and with a portion
15 broken away;
FIG 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the com-
ponents of the device shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bag with the handle member
therein and with a center portion broken away;
FIG. 4 is a slightly enlarged section taken generally on the
line 4-4 of FIG l; and
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken generally on the line
5-5 of FIG. 4. -
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an elongated bag 10 of flexible
thermoplastics film material such as a form of polyethylene, is
.
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preferably formed by cutting an extruded tube. The bag 10 has a set of
longitudinally spaced heat seals 12 and 14 which define therebetween a
container portion 15. The bag 10 also includes a flap or tab portion 16
which i8 defined between the heat seal 14 and the corresponding end of
5 the bag. While the bag 10 is preferably extruded in the form of a
tubular film in order to minimize heat sealed joints, it is to be under-
stood that the bag may be formed by folding a single sheet and heat
sealing the folded sheet along one longitudinal edge or by joining two
separate film sheets with heat seals around the entire container portion
10 of the bag, The wall thickness of the bag is within a range of, 003 and
. 010 inch and preferably on the order of . 004 inch, and the flexibility
of the film enables the bag 10 to collapse from a generally circular
cross-sectional configuration to a substantially flat configuration as
shown in FIG. 2.
An elongated handle member 20 is formed of a thermoplastics
material such as polypropylene and includes a set of longitudinally extend-
ing stiffening ribs 22 to provide the handle member 20 with substantial
rigidity relative to the flexible film bag 10, One end of the handle member
20 has a rounded or convex surface 24 and the opposite end has a concaved
20 surface 26 which forms a set of sharp pointed tip portions 28, Preferably,
the radius of curvature of the surface 26 is the same as that of the
surface 24 so that the handle member 20 may be formed by extruding
a continuous plastics strip and then die cutting the strip at longitudinally
spaced intervals according to the desired length of the handle member 20.
25 The handle member 20 may also be formed by injection molding the
plastics material within a corresponding die eavity.
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As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle member 20 extends
longitudinally within the elongated container portion 15 of the bag 10 so
that the pointed tip portions 28 are spaced slightly inwardly from the
laterally extending heat seal 14 (FIG. 3). After a predetermined quantity
5 of fluid, for example, an iodine solution is inserted into the container
portion 15, the container portion is closed by the heat seal 14 so that
the handle member 20 and the fluid are confined within a hermetically
sealed chamber defined by the container portion 15. In one sample
embodiment of the invention, 10 cc of surgical preparatory solution was
10 sealed within the containèr portion 15 of the bag 20.
After the container portion of the bag is closed by the heat
seal 14, the bag is folded along a fold line 32 (FIG. 3) so that the tab
portion 16 extends rearwardly or outwardly adjacent the container portion
15 of the bag 10. A coating of adhesive 34 (FIG. 4) is applied to the outer
exposed surfaces of the folded end portion of the bag 20, and the folded
end portion of the bag and the corresponding end portion of the handle
member 20 are inserted into a slot 38 formed within one longitudinal
side of a resilient sponge-like swab or applicator 40, As illustrated,
the applicator 40 consists of a rectangularly shaped block or body of
20 polyurethane sponge material, However, the applicator 40 may have
other shapes and configurations and may be formed of other materials.
As shown in FIG. 4, the slot 38 extends approximately three-quarters
of the width of the applicator 40, and the adhesive 34 attaches the outer
surface of the tab portion 16 to on~ side portion of the applicator 40
and the outer surface of the container portion 15 to the other side portion
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of the applicator 40.
As shown in FIG, 1, the tab portion 16 of the bag 20 i9
_ . . .
printed with an arrow 45 surrounding the words "PULL TO OPEN".
When it i9 desired to dispense the fluid within the container portion 15
into the center portion of the swab or applicator 40, the return tab
portion 16 is simply pulled with one hand in the direction of the arrow
45 while the container portion 15 and the enclosed handle member 20
are being gripped with the other hand. The pulling of the tab portion 16
causes the resilient applicator 40 to distort until the pointed tip portions
28 of the handle member 20 pierce corresponding holes 48 within the
bag 20 adjacent the fold line 32, When the tab portion 16 is released,
the distorted applicator 40 returns to its normal position shown in FIG. 4,
and the pierced holes 48 within the bag 10 arç separated from the pointed
tip portions 28 of the handle member 20 so that the holes 48 are opened.
A continued pressure applied to the container portion 15 of
the bag 10, as a result of the gripping action, is effective to collapse the
container portion 15 and thereby displace the fluid through the holes 48
into the center portion of the applicator 40. As the fluid is forced
into the applicator 40 while the device is being used with an oscillating
painting-like motion, alternating pressures are applied to opposite sides
- of the container portion 15 of the bag 10 so that the fluid is effectively
dispensed or pumped from the container portion 15 into the applicator 40,
From the drawing and the above description, it is apparent
that a dispensing device constructed in accordance with the present
- 25 invention provides desirable features and advantages. For example,
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the device employs low cost components which may be assembled auto-
matically for high volume production. The handle member 20 not only
serves as a stiffner for the flexible bag 10 but also functionsto puncture
the bag 10 in the unexposed portion within the center portion of the
5 applicator 40. It is also apparent that the fluid within the container
portion 15 may be quickly released into the applicator 40 without touching
or gripping the applicator and without bringing the hands or fingers into
contact with the fluid. Furthermore, the length of the container portion
15 of the bag 10 may be easily changed if it i8 desired to change substan-
10 tially the volume of fluid within the container portion 15.
While the applicating device and the method of making the sameherein described, constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention,
it i9 to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise
method and form of device described, and that changes may be made
15 therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as
defined in the appended claims,
The invention having thus been described, the following is
claimed:
